Latest Sears, Kmart closings hit 3 in Ohio

NEW YORK — Sears Holdings Corp. is closing an additional 20 stores, three of them in Ohio, as the ailing retailer tries to turn around its business.

Real-estate investment trust Seritage, which owns the 20 properties, confirmed the closings — 18 Sears stores and two Kmart stores — in a government filing Friday. The Ohio locations are in Toledo, Middleburg Heights and Mentor; all three are Sears stores.

In 2015, Sears Holdings sold 235 Sears and Kmart store locations to Seritage as part of an agreement in which Sears leases back the stores. Under their agreement, Sears Holdings has the option to exit a lease if a store is unprofitable.

The stores will close in midSeptember; liquidation sales will begin this month.